Chapter Two

They stayed a long time in this position : him curled in her lap, and her softly caressing his hand.

He stroked her back too. He was rather peaceful.

'Draco, she murmured, Tell me what's wrong.'

'I-...' He couldn't articulate a word. Hermione could feel his pulse gowing up. 'I don't want you to know about this' he said.

'Why not?' She erased a tear on his cheek with her hand.

'Because it's awful.' he paused. 'You should be with your friends.' He had tried to put bitterness in this phrase but he couldn't. Hermione was just too calming for this.

''They're eating and burying their dead' she softly smiled. 'I was here to say goodbye to my home'.

'I... I came here because there was no people. I wanted to... To get it away.' He pointed at his arm. 'But it didn't. It's part of me.'

Hermione felt the knot back. He wasn't a murderer, but he was under their label. His team had lost and his master had vanished. But was it really his team?

'You... Listen Draco. You didn't kill any people, right?'

'I was ordered to.' he paused. 'I don't think I did...'

'Well... Take this Mark like your family name ! Your father's name is Malfoy, right ?' He nodded. ' And your name is Malfoy too ! '

'I don't... I don't think I want to talk about this.' He knew she wanted to comfort him. He knew it. But it was too much pain talking about his family.

He looked at her again. His eyes studied her features. Her curls were falling on her shoulders, and she was not even brushed. Her eyes held his gaze, they were light-brown. He thought she had the brightest eyes he had ever seen. He brushed her bruised lip whith his thumb. Why did they hate each other ? He tried to remember ?

Potter.

A boiling feeling of rage began to run down his spine, but he tried to stop it for her. Not now. She would think it is childish.

He ran the back of his hand on her cheek. She was really beautiful. For the few last years, he didn't see her the same way than before. He regretted they were not friends. Or more.

They heard some steps in the corridor. Someone came here running.

Neville Longbottom bursted in front of them.

'Hey ! Hermion... Okay. I'll leave you there.' He got away as quickly as he had come.

Draco blushed. He was holding Hermione's left hand, while he caressed her hair with the other.

'I'm sorry' he said.

'For what ?'

'He saw you and me. He's going to spread the word that we're together in the corridor being all romantic and...'

'Blood isn't romantic' she chuckled.

He almost grinned. 'But everyone's going to come here, and mock me... Stupid freak !'

'I trust Neville ! He was only awkward ! I am sure he won't tell such a thing.' She wanted to defend him. He has always been a good friend to her. 'I promise you.' She whispered as she stroked his blonde hair.

'Do you... Do you think we became friends, finally ?'

'What ?' Draco thought he heard wrong. 'I don't... know...' He blushed. Freindship wasn't what he really wanted.

'Well... I mean... In only one moment, we became kind of ...close.' She smiled.

'Maybe...' He reluctantly pushed her hand away and stood up, not without pain. 'But we musn't be seen togther' he muttered. 'Not now.'

She stoop up too.

'I am and always be a Death Eater. Everyone hates me. I don't want to rip you from your friends.' He thought to himself he had gotten a bit far. He wouldn't rip her because he wouldn't get her, he thought with a smirk.

He caught her hands again. They were small and soft and he enjoyed stroking them. She stared at him. She thought to herself he had changed a lot since the beginning of the year. He was scarred, alone and afraid. But he seemed to understand more things than before.

He was much taller than her, which forced her to look up. 'Draco, this is nonsense.'

'Don't say that.'

'They can forgive you ! After all, it wasn't your fault, was it ? You've been forced into this horrible task ! That's all !'

He couldn't believe what he had heard. She, the girl that hated him with her friends, his enemy, forgave him.

His heart raced in his chest. He thought he was about to do something stupid and impulsive, but he didn't care.

He imagined this moment a lot of times since his Dark Mark got tatooed on his arm. But for no reason. And why at this special moment ?

But he did it. Exactly as he thought he would. He passed a gentle arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest. He stroked her hair with the other hand. He saw her became bright red on the cheeks and felt her heart bumping.

He rubbed his hand in the low of her back, which made her curve and lean entirely against him. Both of their hearts began a race. He slowly brushed her mouth with his, then ducked his head in her neck.

The feeling she experienced was undescriptible. She had butterflies in her stomach and felt like she was held by an angel.

He covered her neck with slow kisses, with all the personable of a prince. Hermione caressed his chest, and her trembling fingers found a way in the ripping of his shirt. It was hot inside, and she let her hands there, on his collarbone.

Draco slowly recovered to her cheek, then to her mouth. She was burning and trembling, but his kiss almost made her swoon. The strength with wich he delivered it was deathly to Hermione. She gave it back, putting all the passion she could in it. Draco's lips were really hot.

They paused for a few seconds, catching their breaths. Then Hermione stood on her tiptoes, feeling the gaze of Draco sticking to her neck. And she did something she thought she would've never done before.

She went for Draco's open mouth and heavy breathing. She brushed her lower lip against his lower lip, and suddenly went for a full kiss. He was surprised, but enjoyed. He broke the kiss to get some air.

'Well... That was... Unexpected...' said Hermione with a soft smile.

'I don't... Know... If it was... Unexpected...' blowed Draco.

'What... What do you mean ?' she asked, speechless.

'Um... I... he began, blushing. I have to tell you that I love you since... (he cleared up his mind and tried not to say « since i got this »)... since the beginning of last year. I love you passionately.'

'That too was unexpected.' said she with a grin.

They both sat on the big bunch of stones. Hermione let herself rest in Draco's lap, his arms around her. He deposed a soft kiss on her forehead.

'And now ?' she said.

He pressed her against him. They stayed in that position for hours, then fell asleep.